Amherst Island & Kingston

Saturday, March 24: Today we will bird Amherst Island in search of Birds or Prey and spring migrants, such as a nice variety of waterfowl, blackbirds and Horned Larks. American Woodcock, Killdeer and Eastern Meadowlarks likely will have just arrived, as well. We will cruise open country in search of a wide variety of bird species. Numbers of Rough-legged Hawks and Snowy Owls are possible today, as are migrant Short-eared Owls. We will hike Owl Woods, where we will search for roosting owls. This trip coincides with peak Northern Saw-whet migration, as well as the beginning of Long-eared Owl migration. We will set some time aside for a visit to the Invista Lagoons/Cataraqui Bay after birding on Amherst Island. Overall, a nice assortment of birds are expected today!

Outing notes: Here are some ideas of what to pack and what to wear during this field outing. Waterproof footwear is recommended, and rain jacket/rain pants are also good items to have on-hand during spring birding outings. Pack rubber boots as well, as the trails may be quite wet at this time. Please pack some snacks, plenty of water, lens cloth, lip balm, sunscreen, and favoured field guides.

Activity Scale: Out of five stars, with five being a strenuous day, this trip sits at a 3 out of 5 for most birders. Very short walks throughout the day, but we will mostly be birding by car. We have one, longer walk scheduled. Please note that we must walk to Owl Woods from the either Front Road or South Shore Road, making the trek 2-2.2 km longer than what some birders are accustomed to. Depending on the level of snowfall remaining, our hike may be quite physical. With a decent amount of snow cover, the walk to and from Owl Woods sits at 4 out of 5 stars in terms of difficulty. This hike will be our only long walk of the day.

Lunch & Dinner: Please pack a field lunch for today’s outing. We will discuss dinner plans for those interested in eating dinner before driving home.

Meet between 10:00 and 10:15 AM at the Millhaven ferry terminal. Carpooling to and from Ottawa is available; please be in touch. We will catch the 5:00 PM return ferry, lining up at Stella dock by 4:45 PM.

Method of payment: Cash, e-Transfer or cheque the morning of the tour. If paying by e-Transfer, please use eontbird@gmail.com as the recipient address; if paying by cheque, please make the cheque out to ‘Eastern Ontario Birding.’

My name is Jon Ruddy and I am an Ottawa-based field birder/freelance birding guide. I became interested in birds while studying under the tutelage of Carleton University professor and naturalist, Michael Runtz. From 2012-2014 I was employed as a summer student field biologist, conducting bird surveys in the Okanagan Valley, southern Ontario, James Bay, and throughout Manitoba.